Interview with John Levén, Mic and Ian 1997

Translation:

Host: "One band that took part the first time around in 1982 was EUROPE. And everyone knows that they won. The fact is that we've got some of EUROPE's members with us tonight. Hello!"

John Levén: "Hello!"

Host: "How are you?"

Levén: "Really good."

Host: "Great. John, you were the one who took part in 1982."

Levén: "Me and the other guys who took part."

Host: "Yeah exactly, but I mean out of those who are here tonight. Do you remember what it was like?"

Levén: "Do I remember?"

Host: "What it was like taking part in Rock-SM?"

Levén: "My memory of that night is a bit vague, but I remember that we weren't really nervous, because we didn't expect that we'd win. It was hard (to break through) for bands that played the kind of music that we did, and furthermore sang in English. We basically showed up because we'd be on TV and didn't expect that we'd win."

Host: "So you weren't lured in by (the prospect of getting) a record deal?"

Levén: "Not directly. It was the singer's girlfriend at that time who had sent in a tape and we managed to slip in on a banana peel. But it turned out to be an important piece of the puzzle to our future career."

Host: "I've been frantically looking through our archives and found something fun from Rock-SM 1982. Shall we see what it was like? Let's play the tape!"

Levén: "Nervous!"

*From the TV show Casablanca in 1983*

Janne Nilsson: "EUROPE is the rock band that won Rock-SM in December. Four guys from Upplands Väsby who will now release the first prize, an LP. The cameraman in the studio was Sven Erik Larsson."

Title: EUROPE - winners of Rock-SM

Thomas Erdtman: "Guys, that wasn't really tight. We'll rewind the tape and start all over again."

Nilsson: "Here you are in the recording studio to record your first LP. Is this your biggest dream come true?"

Joey Tempest: "You could say that. Feels good."

Nilsson: "What was the contest like for you? Were you prepared to go to the final when you started?"

Tempest: "No."

Levén: "Nah."

Tempest: "We were happy each time we qualified for the next round. Fucking happy. Or, really happy."

Nilsson: "Which song will be the first hit?"

Tempest: "Hard to say. They're all just as good. Hard to say."

Nilsson: "No favorite?"

Tempest: "No, but usually the newest song feels the best. You get a bit tired of the old ones. But they're all just as good."

Nilsson: "What is the newest song right now?"

Tempest: "The newest right now... We've got two new ones."

John Norum: "We haven't recorded them yet."

Tempest: "We will do so any day now."

Nilsson: "What do you think of Thomas Erdtman's efforts? Will he help you become..."

Norum: (chuckles)

Tempest: "Damnit, John."

Nilsson: "...Sweden's biggest selling hard rock band?"

Tempest: "Yeah, he will be a good help."

Tony Reno: "He seems to know what he's doing."

Nilsson: "Will their Rock-SM victory also include you becoming their manager?"

Erdtman: "It's funny you should mention that because many people have approached the band, wanting to become their manager with all that it entails. But on the other hand, of course I don't want the guys to end up at the hands of a villain. Naturally I will keep a friendly eye on them, but nothing else. I'm not gonna take any income from their other stuff."

*Returning to Lucia Natt*

Host: "That's what it looked like in 1982 when EUROPE won Rock-SM. How did it feel to watch that?"

Levén: "Embarrassing."

Host: "Embarrassing? Why?"

Levén: "No, it's really fun. How old were we? 18 or 19."

Host: "You weren't older?"

Levén: "No."

Host: "What did you guys think about watching that? You weren't in the band back then."

Ian Haugland: "There's a certain difference in the speech pattern, I think. Joey sounded like he'd just gotten out of high school, which I guess he had."

Host: "What happened then? It wasn't as easy as just recording an album and then it was done."

Levén: "No, there were many pieces of the puzzle that fell into place. We recorded the first album which was the first prize, then we recorded another album. On the third album, which was The Final Countdown, we signed with a major label, CBS in the US. And then it kept on rolling, thanks in large part to the song and that we signed with that particular record label."

Host: "But the first album, the Rock-SM victory. Were you helped out with the promotion?"

Levén: "Yeah... Hard question."

Haugland: "Speaking as an outsider at the time... When the first EUROPE album came out, it was a bit of a milestone because they were one of the first Swedish hard rock bands that released a real album. There had been some half-baked efforts earlier on. But this was the first album you could put on and be like, 'Fuck, how cool! A real hard rock band!'"

Levén: "Rock-SM had an incredible impact. I still meet people to this day who remember Rock-SM in 1982. Powerful impact."

Host: "And it the end it turned out really well. To put it mildly. So it would be best to watch some footage from your heyday as well. What do you say? We'll watch that tape too!"

*Snippet of "The Final Countdown" live at Hammersmith Odeon in 1987*

*Returning to Lucia Natt*

Host: "OK. How did it feel to watch that?"

Levén: "Hammersmith Odeon in London was a venue that we had dreamed of playing at. I think we played there four or five times in total. Packed house every night."

Haugland: "It's a venue that all of our idols have played at. AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple..."

Levén: "Old live albums we idolized had been recorded at Hammersmith Odeon. Really fun."

Haugland: "The song isn't that bad either."

Host: "No, I guess you could say it was a hit."

Haugland: "I actually think you could say that."

Host: "What are you doing nowadays? All of you must be filthy rich. You can do what you want. Or?"

Levén: "Uh..."

Haugland: "Call our manager, Thomas Erdtman, who we just saw on TV."

Host: "I have to ask: Will there be a reunion? People have been talking about it."

Haugland: "Let them talk. I don't know. I think you can put it like this: It's completely up to Mr. Tempest. Or what do you say, Mic?"

Mic Michaeli: "Yeah, I think so. It would have been perfect to do something for the year 2000, with the song 'The Final Countdown' in mind. But as of right now there are no plans."

Host: "Thank you for coming!"

Levén: "Thank you!"